Greenberg Traurig Shareholder Ian Macdonald was recently quoted in the National Law Journal article, “What Employers Should Consider After Trump’s DACA Decision,” discussing the Trump Administration’s decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program and what actions employers should take to ensure they are compliant. Macdonald addresses the potential risks and compliance hurdles … Continue Reading

On Monday, August 21, 2017, the U.S. Embassy in Moscow announced that starting August 23 all nonimmigrant visa operations across Russia will be temporarily suspended. The mission announced that it would recommence services in Moscow on Sept. 1, but visa operations at all other U.S. consular locations in Russia would remain on hold. All visa … Continue Reading

Under the heading “Transparency for U.S. Workers,” the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) uploaded five reports today containing comprehensive data regarding its H-1B and Employment Authorization Documents (EAD) adjudications. The H-1B reports “provide information about the hiring practices of employers who petition for foreign national workers.” The H-1B trend report contains statistics about the H-1B program … Continue Reading

USCIS has issued a new online tutorial for immigrants that will help determine when a Form I-485, Application for Adjustment of Status, can be filed with USCIS. For those immigrants who have a family-based or employment-based immigrant petition filed or approved on their behalf, the new Visa Bulletin tutorial details how to determine your priority … Continue Reading

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and The Department of Labor (DOL) have submitted a final rule to the Federal Register, which will be published on July 18, 2017, increasing the number of H-2B visas by 15,000. DHS Secretary John Kelly determined, along with DOL Secretary Alexander Acosta, that there are not enough qualified and … Continue Reading

USCIS has determined that for July 2017, the Final Action Dates chart in the Department of State (DOS) Visa Bulletin must be used for both family-sponsored filings and employment-based preference filings. By way of background, individuals who are present in the United States are eligible to file a Form I-485, Application to Adjust Status in … Continue Reading

Yesterday, U.S. Secretary of Labor Jim Acosta announced an initiative aimed at addressing fraud and restoring transparency in U.S. non-immigrant visa enforcement. As released by the Department of Labor (DOL), the key initiatives include: Directing the DOL’s Wage and Hour Division (the Division) to use all its tools in conducting civil investigations to enforce labor … Continue Reading

According to the June 2017 Visa Bulletin released by Department of State and effective June 1, there will be significant retrogression in the EB-1 category for individuals born in mainland China and India. While the current cutoff date for worldwide chargeability in the EB-1 category will remain current, the final action dates for Chinese and … Continue Reading

The U.S. immigration agency’s busiest day of the year was marked with reminders about the dark side of the H-1B visa program. Acceptance of H-1B cap-subject petitions started on April 3, 2017. But the flurry of H-1B filings were met with announcements from agencies involved with the H-1B program about measures designed to tighten policies … Continue Reading

We continue to see immigration as a moving target with recent news of four cables issued by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson guiding implementation of increased security protocols and vetting for consular posts around the world. Secretary Tillerson issued initial cables March 10 and 15 in anticipation of the new Travel Ban scheduled to take effect … Continue Reading

Greenberg Traurig shareholder Ian Macdonald was recently quoted by National Public Radio (NPR) for a story on the Marketplace Morning Report, which is part of the Marketplace portfolio of public radio programs. Macdonald provided an employer’s perspective on H-1B visas and challenges employers must face when sponsoring highly-skilled workers. To read the full article, click here. … Continue Reading

The heavily anticipated new Executive Order (EO), “Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States,” banning nationals from six countries from entering the United States, was signed by President Donald Trump on March 6, 2017 with an effective date 10 days following on March 16, 2017. This new EO revokes and replaces the … Continue Reading

Due to a technical error, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) recently began issuing H-1B approval notices on Form I-797 that incorrectly list the class as “1B1.” This technical error affected H-1B approval notices for H-1B petitions that were filed with the Vermont, Nebraska, and California Service Centers. The California Service Center confirmed … Continue Reading

Beginning Feb. 16, 2016, USCIS began reissuing receipt notices on Form I-797 to applicants who continue to have pending applications for renewed employment authorization (EAD applications) under certain categories that were originally filed between July 21, 2016 and Jan. 16, 2017. EAD applications that were filed during this window did not fall within the benefits of … Continue Reading

It has been reported that President Trump’s administration is likely preparing to effectuate additional changes affecting immigration issues. Specifically, in addition to the Executive Order executed on Jan. 27, 2017, the administration is reportedly working on additional Executive Orders, a released draft of which addresses the availability and use of advance parole, among other issues … Continue Reading

On Jan. 25, 2017, President Donald J. Trump signed two Executive Orders impacting U.S. immigration which are summarized below. Executive Order: Border Security and Immigration Enforcement Improvements This Order addresses the recent surge of immigration by foreign nationals without proper documentation at the United States’ southern border with Mexico. The Order directs the government’s “executive … Continue Reading

Greenberg Traurig attorney, Nataliya Rymer, was recently cited in the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) seeking to amend the current EB-5 regulations, which was published in the Federal Register pursuant to the Administrative Procedure Act. Rymer’s article U.S. Department of State Announces EB-5 Visas for China Unavailable Until October 1, 2014, which appeared in the National … Continue Reading

In much anticipated news for both the United States and Israeli companies and entrepreneurs, Israeli nationals will soon become eligible for the E-2 Treaty Investor visas. The Israeli authorities have announced that the procedures and rules for the B-5 investor visa for U.S. citizens are expected to be released in March 2017. One of the vital … Continue Reading

On Nov. 18, 2016, the Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”) published its final rule to “modernize and improve” employment-based non-immigrant and immigrant visa programs. As stated by DHS, the primary purpose of the improvements is to enhance the ability of U.S. employers to hire and retain specific foreign national employees who are the beneficiaries of … Continue Reading

On November 10, 2016, Laura Foote Reiff, Bob Maples, and Rebecca Schechter presented an Immigration Post-Election Update webinar highlighting some of the anticipated key changes to U.S. immigration policy (click here to listen to the webinar). President-elect Donald Trump will likely begin the change on current U.S. immigration policy as soon as he takes office. … Continue Reading

On Sept. 29, 2016, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced that it has enhanced the I-94 website for travelers arriving to the United States at land ports of entry. Travelers now can apply and pay the $6 fee for their I-94 card online up to seven days prior to their entry. An I-94 form … Continue Reading

On Oct. 5, 2016, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) issued an unclassified cable on the Continuing Resolution signed into law on Sept. 29, 2016 that extends several important immigration programs, including the Conrad State 30 Program, the non-minister special immigrant religious worker program (SR visa), and the EB-5 Regional Center program. The House and … Continue Reading

Stay Connected

About Greenberg Traurig, LLP

Greenberg Traurig, LLP (GT) has more than 2,000 attorneys in 39 offices in the United States, Latin America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. GT has been recognized for its philanthropic giving, was named the largest firm in the U.S. by Law360 in 2017, and is among the Top 20 on the 2018 Am Law Global 100. Web: www.gtlaw.com Twitter: @GT_Law.